


Pet Store

by TariSilmarwen



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Fluff, Short, and Kittens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-17
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22296232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TariSilmarwen/pseuds/TariSilmarwen
Summary: Slaine and Asseylum work at an animal shelter.
Relationships: Asseylum Vers Allusia/Slaine Troyard
Kudos: 3





	Pet Store

He tried not to glance towards the door too often, counting the seconds until it was 3:00, and their pretty weekend volunteer would arrive. Slaine busied himself with tidying the front counter for the thousandth time.

The door chimes rang and Slaine's popped up his head with a smile, quickly coming around the counter and immediately reaching to take the young lady's coat.

"Good afternoon, Miss!" he greeted her. "How was your morning?"

Asseylum beamed, sliding her arms out of her sleeves for him. "Not very eventful," she said. "How is the new litter?"

"Eager to see you," he said. _As was I_ , he added privately to himself. "Right this way."

He led her past the counter into the back towards the pens and paddocks.

-AZ-

"Oh!" she exclaimed, darting forward and pressing her hands and face into the glass. "My goodness! They're so little!"

Slaine let himself smile at her obvious delight. "They're about six weeks old, we think. Very scrawny when we got them in, but they're eating well and are a much healthier weight now."

Asseylum leaned back, clasping her hands behind her. "Thank goodness," she said. "So, what do you need me to do?"

He explained as he fetched the key for the pen. "Well, their litter tray needs to be emptied and restocked with fresh gravel, the walls need a quick wipedown, we need to replace their food and water dishes…" He fit the key into the lock and jiggled it. "And of course they need some time out of the pen to play."

"That's right… cats can develop poor tempers when they're not engaged and stimulated enough, correct?" she checked for clarification.

Seems she had taken the books he'd lent her on cat care to heart. She was really quite a wonderful student, always eager to learn about every new animal that came in, even the unusual ones.

"Right," he confirmed, reaching in and gently getting both hands under the bellies of two of the kittens.

Carefully, he picked them up and held them out to her. Eyes wide as saucers, she took them gingerly, two gray and black striped american shorthairs, mewing noisily in excitement.

Asseylum tucked them up against the chest of her clean green volunteer smock, and they both began purring. Slaine almost died from how adorable the sight was.

"Keep them supported," he told her, gesturing.

Asseylum quickly corrected her hold. "Like this?"

Slaine smiled. "That's perfect." He reached back into the pen, scooping out the other two kittens, and set them down on the floor to run around.

The two of them set about their tasks, Asseylum going to the toy chest and pulling out several jingling balls and mice and danglers to engage the kittens' attentions with, while Slaine got started on cleaning out the pen.

"Did you ever want a pet, Slaine?" Asseylum asked, twirling a feather dangler above one kitten's grasping little paws.

His face pinched a little. "They weren't allowed in the foster home I grew up in."

She looked at him in sympathy, face falling. "Oh… how sad! You love animals so much…"

A serious look came to his face. "As long as I can be here, working with you, I can be happy," he told her, then his face felt a bit hot from saying it. He coughed, turning aside and focusing on scooping the kitty litter into a dustbin. "I mean… it's not so bad, since I work here… and… it's always nice to see you…" he stammered, feeling his words quite running away from him.

Hearing her giggle, he looked up to see her beaming at him.

"I like working with you here too," she said.

His heart did all sorts of nervous flips inside him and he was eminently grateful for the distraction the kittens provided, as they rolled around with mice around his shoes, playing happily.


End file.
